


Amber and Honey

by reyloanne



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Actress Rey, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amber - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Honey, Jeweler Ben, Love at First Sight, Portland Oregon, Sunflowers, and once she meets him it's all over for the other guy, because Ben Solo is her soulmate in every universe, but not for long, honey shenanigans in the bedroom (a very little), rey is in a relationship at first
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:42:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24206116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyloanne/pseuds/reyloanne
Summary: Based on a moodboard that I made, just because I liked the images together (see below), and this prompt from Dagagada: "Ben is a jeweler tasked with making a necklace for movie star Rey by her actor boyfriend. His trademark is amber, hers is sunflowers. He makes an amber sunflower for her and they fall for each other. Rey breaks up with bf. The happy ending includes honey shenanigans in the bedroom."
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 52
Kudos: 169





	Amber and Honey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SavingWhatILove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SavingWhatILove/gifts).



> Thank you so much to sofondabooks for looking this little bit of silliness over for me! And thank you to Dagagada for the lovely prompt.

[](https://imgur.com/XSVRf5n)  


The late afternoon sun is streaming golden through the amber glass of the shop’s southwest-facing window, highlighting the dust motes hanging in the air. The bell on the door jingles, breaking the heavy silence, and Ben stands up from the table in the back where he was about to have tea.

Ben’s been expecting her, ever since he notified the man that his commission for Rey Jackson was ready, and received a reply that she was in the area and would pick it up today. He recognizes her instantly - no surprise, as she’s one of the hottest young actresses working today. But more than that, he’s spent hours studying her pictures, watching her movie and TV roles, trying to create a piece of jewelry that captures her unique beauty. He feels like he’s come to know her like no one else does, like there’s a secret part of her that belongs to him, and only him. He’s begun dreaming of her occasionally - nothing sexual, just him and her together in a light-dappled dream world outside of time.

But nothing could have prepared him for the sight of her, standing in a sunbeam in that diaphanous sunflower dress, looking like a goddess gracing his shop with her presence. He can do nothing but stare, until she breaks the silence - 

“Hi, I’m Rey.” She gives him a small uncertain smile, elegant brows raised in question. “I believe you have something here for me? A necklace?”

“Right, yes.” Ben shakes his head to clear it of whatever spell she’s cast. “It’s great to finally meet you. I’m Ben, Ben Solo, and the piece is in the back. If you don’t mind, would you like to come back and join me for tea while I pull it out for you?”

* * *

Rey stares, captivated by this man’s eyes which have caught the last rays of the waning sun. There’s something different... there, she realizes, the centers of his irises are a rich brown, a different color from the hazel of the outer ring. Everything in this shop has a golden glow, his eyes most of all, making her feel as if she’s stepped into another world out of time, a moment frozen in amber.

She shakes her head a bit to clear it of whatever spell he’s cast. She shouldn’t go off with him all alone…

“Sure,” she hears herself saying. “Just promise me you’re not a serial killer, or foot fetishist or something, who’ll drug my tea and sell photos of my naked toes to the tabloids.”

He smiles, a real smile that reaches his eyes and makes crinkles under them, at her nervous attempt at humor.

“You’re safe with me, Ms. Jackson,” he replies in a low, rich tone that reminds her of warm honey. It flows through her whole body and into her veins as she follows him to the back.

“That’s what a real serial killer would say,” she blurts out, and feels his chuckle rumble back.

* * *

“What kind of tea would you like? I’ve got English breakfast, Japanese green, and chamomile.” He guesses chamomile, golden flower girl that she is, and he’s right.

He gestures for her to have a seat at the table while he boils the water. “The honey there is from my own backyard hives. It’s a little hobby of mine.”

“Oh, is it legal to keep bees inside the city? I never considered that!” The surprise is evident in her lovely, low, English-accented voice. He knows it well from hearing it on-screen, of course, but there’s something about hearing it in person that’s like a flaming arrow straight to his heart.

“Yeah, it is. I used to have to get a permit, but the city’s pretty much phased that out now.”

“Do they ever sting you?” she asks. His curious girl. _Not yours. Another man’s._

“Not usually.”

Rey starts and looks down, and Ben isn’t surprised to see his ginger cat rubbing up against her leg, purring. She reaches down to scratch the cat’s cheeks and behind its ears, cooing and murmuring all the while.

“And who, might I ask, is this?”

“This is Melissa. Named after the goddess of bees.” He rubs a hand behind his neck in a nervous tic and smiles sheepishly. “She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever seen. Loves people. I’m sure she came running as soon as she heard a new voice.”

Rey continues scratching Melissa’s head. Ben wishes he was afforded the freedom of a cat, to rub up against her legs, her thighs. Curl up in her lap. Feel her hands stroking his hair and ears. Maybe even lick those hands, or her neck, or wherever else she allowed. Hear her call him her _good boy_. He could be so good for her.

“And where did all these sunflowers come from?” she asks, breaking him out of his embarrassing and frankly ridiculous reverie. “And these lovely scones? Is another lady in your life, perhaps? Besides Miss Melissa here, of course.”

At this he looks up abruptly from preparing the tea, catching her eyes. She has a polite smile on her face, giving nothing away.

“No.” It comes out rough, and he clears his throat. “The sunflowers are also from my backyard garden. And the scones are my mother’s. She lives down in Lake Oswego.” He pauses, then decides to bare his soul a little bit. “I moved back to Portland a few years ago after working as an attorney in LA for a decade. It sucked the life out of me, so now I try to surround myself with beauty however I can.” _And you fit in perfectly. You’re so beautiful it’s blinding, like trying to look at the sun._

“Oh, how lovely,” she breathes, face still unreadable. She has a scone on her plate but doesn’t seem to have really eaten any, opting instead to pick it apart with her fingers.

He brings her tea over, and they both spend a moment sipping and eating in silence.

“What brings you to Portland?”

“I’m filming a movie up in Vancouver, and I decided on a whim to take a side trip to Portland for the long weekend. I’ve never been here before! It’s so lovely.” Her eyes take on a dreamy look. He knows well the appeal of Portland in the summertime, so he totally understands. It’s three months of paradise that are the reward for enduring nine months of dreary, dismal drizzle.

“Just don’t come back in the winter.”

“Oh, so I’ve heard!” Her accompanying laugh is like music.

* * *

“Are you here alone?” he asks her, and it’s her turn to study his face, wondering at his meaning.

“I came with Rose, our location manager. She’s one of my best friends in the business - we go way back.” She waits with breath just a bit bated for his reply.

“What about the man who commissioned this? I’m surprised he didn’t pick this up himself and make a big romantic surprise out of it. He seems to love you very much.” Ben is staring studiously down at his tea as he says this.

Rey freezes at this reminder of _him_. Things haven’t been very good between them for… a while now. There’s no doubt he does love her, in his own way. But she’s beginning to think it’s not in the way either one of them really needs.

“He does,” she replies, and Ben stills, eyes still fixed downward. She forges on: “He got this for me as a present for my birthday, and to celebrate me getting my first big leading role. But he’s off in Europe filming another project, so...” She trails off into nervous silence.

Ben runs a hand through his hair, in what she thinks must be a nervous habit. She’s never seen hair like this on a man before: lustrous, wavy, and black as night, and she longs to touch it, to bury her nose in it. It must smell like heaven. _Where did that come from?_ she thinks, rolling her eyes inwardly.

“Speaking of - I have yet to see this present,” she asserts archly.

A smile slowly spreads up his face like dawn breaking, reaching his eyes and kindling a light in them.

“Be right back.”

She hears him rummaging about, then he returns with something. He opens his hand, and - it’s a sunflower-shaped pendant, cognac, green, and lemon petals surrounding a huge amber center, all set in what looks like 18-karat gold.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispers, touching her fingers hesitantly to the center stone. “May I?”

In response, his other hand reaches out for hers, turning it over with a slow caress to place the pendant in her palm. The first touch of his hand is like an electric shock that travels to her core, and she almost reaches out to grab it again. But her attention is drawn to the beautiful workmanship of the pendant, and she traces reverent fingers all around its outline instead. It’s smooth and feels so warm from being engulfed in Ben’s hand.

He’s close enough to her now that she can smell him: hints of sandalwood, honey, that clean laundry smell, and just plain warm sunshine. Rey looks around her, taking in all the beauty he’s cultivated in his life, things made and tended and brought to life by his own two hands. She looks back at this beautiful man himself, a work of art from head to toe, then back down at the pendant in her hand to hide the wave of want that washes over her. A tsunami of want. She wants those hands to make and unmake her, and to feel his arms around her, so badly. She’s sure she’d feel safe in them. Perhaps there’s a way she can get just a little of what she wants right now.

“Will you help me try it on?” She looks up hopefully, and turns around to pull her hair up, baring her neck to him. She can hear his sharp intake of breath, feel the warmth as his body draws near, and then those massive hands are on her again, resting on her shoulders. He caresses her back lightly with his thumbs for just a moment before running one hand down her arm to take the pendant from her hand. He draws even closer as he reaches around her to place the pendant on her chest, between her breasts, then clasp it behind her neck.

He doesn’t step back right away, and she can feel his breath ghosting her neck. Her own breaths are shallow and panting, heart racing. He turns her around to face him, and she can see her reflection in his eyes as he murmurs a reverent “beautiful.”

He steps back, breaking the spell. She turns to the mirror in the corner to examine her prize.

“I studied so many pictures of you. I know sunflowers are your trademark, and I wanted to make something that would reflect their unique beauty - and yours. It’s truly one of a kind, made just for you, Rey.”

She meets his eyes in the mirror. Their intensity should frighten her, but instead she feels warmth bloom in her chest, radiating out from where his pendant lies.

“Ben, this is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever owned. Thank you so much for making it special for me.” She turns and takes a few steps toward him, his gravitational pull bringing her back into his orbit. He reaches a hand up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, and then moves to cup her jaw, thumb lightly stroking her cheek. She leans into his touch and grasps his wrist with her own hand, eyes never leaving his. _His hand almost spans her whole head. Those hands, what he could do with those artistic, powerful, craftsman’s hands!_

The jarring sound of her phone ringing breaks the spell between them. Ben’s hand drops, and he returns to the table to finish his tea, allowing her some privacy. It’s _him_ , asking if she’s picked up the necklace yet.

When she hangs up, Rey’s heart sinks as she discovers that a painful awkwardness has bloomed between them, a reminder of the way things stand outside this room. She’s determined not to let that stop her as she calls his name.

“Ben.” He glances up. She starts speaking in a rush, trying to get it all out before nerves get the better of her. “Tomorrow is my birthday, and Rose and I are new to the city, and it’s our last day here, and we need a guide.” She takes a deep breath. “Would you be interested in being a tour guide for the two of us? We would of course pay for all meals and expenses, to reimburse you for your time. Please say yes?”

Rey’s heart is pounding as she waits for his answer. She’s shocked at just how much she wants him to say yes. There’s something in this big, sweet, artistic man that calls to the deep places in her soul, and though she knows nothing can happen between them - she doesn’t want their time together to end just yet.

“I could not possibly let you ladies pay for anything, but I’d love to take you around the city tomorrow. Let’s talk about what you’d like to see while we finish up our tea.” His eyes smile up into hers, and Rey feels hope flare in her heart.

They take almost another hour to finish as they make tentative plans for the next day, then move on to easy chatting about anything and everything. Rey makes sure to leave him her number before she finally tears herself away.

On her way back to the hotel, as she sits at a stoplight in her rental car, she steals a glance at her sunflower pendant in the rearview mirror, touches it softly with her fingertips, and smiles.

* * *

Ben spends the whole next day showing them around the city. They line up for Voodoo Doughnuts, then browse the Saturday Market. They eat lunch at the downtown food carts, then spend the afternoon at the famous Rose Garden.

Ben doesn’t mind not being alone with Rey. He knows she can never be anything more than a passing acquaintance, and he doesn’t want to make things awkward for her with her boyfriend. Besides, he loves seeing her through the lens of her interactions with Rose, an absolute firecracker of a woman in a tiny package who Ben is in awe and a little afraid of, despite her being more than a foot shorter than he is.

Perhaps his hand finds Rey’s lower back a bit more often than is strictly necessary, and he doesn’t think he’s imagining it when she takes opportunities to press herself just a little closer to him than friendly distance allows. But he doesn’t allow himself to read anything into it.

After dinner at the Deschutes Brewery in downtown, Ben drives the ladies back to their hotel, and finds that the inevitable has arrived. He parks in front of the lobby temporarily, and gets out to say his goodbyes, first to Rose - who surprises him with a huge hug - and then to Rey.

“Ben, thank you so much for making today special,” she says, shimmering eyes locked on his. She reaches out for his right hand, grasping it tightly in both of hers. “Rose and I had such a lovely time. And thank you for my pendant. I’ll always think of you when I wear it.”

“You’re so welcome, Rey. It was my pleasure,” he says thickly. “And happy birthday.”

“Well. Well. I’d better go. Thanks again. Ben.” And then she’s gone, letting go of his hand jerkily and striding with Rose into the lobby. Ben just stands there, watching them through the plate glass walls of the hotel lobby. When they reach the elevator bank, Rey turns back and meets his gaze. When she and Rose step in the elevator, Rey pushes the button and then holds his gaze until the doors shut, cutting them off irrevocably from one another.

Ben gets in his car and drives home.

* * *

Ben tries to work on his jewelry for the week, but some vital spark seems to have flickered out in all his gemstones. The sun seems a little colder, its light dimmer, but he’s sure that must just be an unseasonably cold Portland summer. Colors are muted. He eats, but nothing tastes like it should. He wonders if he’s coming down with something.

Melissa spends more time around him, meowing plaintively for pets and cuddles. Ben grumbles, but he secretly doesn’t know what he’d do without her unconditional love.

The only project that he seems to be able to focus on, for reasons he doesn’t dwell on, is a pair of sunflower earrings and a matching ring. He spends an inordinate amount of time trying to find pieces of amber that match the exact color of her eyes.

Finally he gives up and googles Rey. He finds information and photos from her latest project, the one filming up in Vancouver. He spends way too much time looking at her beautiful face, which he now knows has a dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose and apples of her cheeks. Those freckles had been a revelation to him, one which made her so much more approachable somehow. He wonders why they’re so often photoshopped out of pictures.

Then one day a few weeks later, a headline on one of the big celebrity “news” websites: “Rey Jackson calls it quits with boyfriend of one year.” He reads the article but it tells him nothing - “just decided we’re better off as friends” - until this part:

“Ms. Jackson has been spotted wearing a brand-new amber sunflower pendant everywhere recently. We asked her about it and what it means, and here’s what she had to say: ‘It was handmade for me by someone really special. A talented man with a huge heart who I was so lucky to meet last month. I hope he knows how much it means to me.’ Could there hope for new love on the horizon for …”

Ben quickly scans the article for any other mention of himself, and then sits for a moment with a feeling of vertigo, of his world flipped on its head. He thinks of her number in his phone, which he has studiously avoided even looking at until now.

He opens his messaging app and spends an embarrassing amount of time agonizing over every word - types “I heard the news about your breakup” and “I’ve missed you” and “I love you” and “I want to kiss your lovely lips and every freckle on your body” a half dozen times before deleting it all - before finally coming up with a message that he hopes isn’t too creepy. He hits send and throws his phone on the bed with a groan.

_To Rey: Hi, Rey! It’s Ben, from Portland. I hope you don’t mind me texting. I’ve been thinking about you, and was inspired to create a matching set of earrings and a ring to go with your pendant. They’re a gift for you. You’re welcome to pick them up anytime - I would really love to see you again. Or I can mail them to you. Let me know._

There. That gives her an out, in case she doesn’t want to see him. Her reply comes not quite half an hour later: 

_From Rey: Hi Ben, i’m so happy to hear from you!! We’re almost done filming, i’ll come and pick them up when I’m finished, in about a week. If that’s ok with you? I can’t wait to see you again. From your Rey_ 💗

He’s spiraling over the “your Rey” and the heart emoji. _What could they mean? Should he answer in kind? Does she always end texts like this? Is he reading too much into it?_ Finally he calms down enough to reply.

_To Rey: I’d love to see you again, Rey. You know where to find me. I’m here most of the time. Yours always, Ben_

It’s a rainy fall afternoon when the door to Ben’s shop jingles. He knows Rey’s finally done filming in Vancouver, but he can’t let himself hope, not yet...

There she is, bringing all the sunlight back into the world, and into the shop with her.

“Hi, I’m Rey,” she teases, echoing her words from the first time they met. “I believe you have something here for me?”

Melissa runs out, meowing loudly, and begins threading through Rey’s legs.

“Maybe,” he hedges, teasing back. “Can you stay for dinner?”

Her smile lights up the whole room.

* * *

That night, Ben’s dessert is the sweetest he’s ever tasted: his own backyard honey, swirled over Rey’s nipples, followed by her own honey straight from the source, lapped up enthusiastically until she comes apart with his name on her lips.

As he rolls on a condom and takes in her body below him, flushed and panting and wearing only his amber sunflower pendant between her bare breasts, he knows there will never be another woman in this world for him.

As he pushes into her, feels the tight, warm grip of her inner muscles give way to make space for him, they look into each other’s eyes and it’s an endless moment in time, frozen in amber.

As he begins to rock into her, Ben sees their future stretch out in front of them, and it’s as sweet as honey. Just like her, his sunflower girl.

**Author's Note:**

> I probably did not proofread this as much as I should have, so if you find any errors, please feel free to message me!!
> 
> My other stories:  
> [the red thread of fate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23219050) (oneshot): sweet, devoted Reylo in Asia (Taiwan!)
> 
> [Rocky Mountain High](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21464980/chapters/51153376) (complete): sweet, devoted Reylo inspired by pro tennis, southern Colorado, and John Denver
> 
> [Dog Days of Summer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20061766/chapters/47512132) (complete): sweet, devoted Reylo with veterinary student Rey, engineering professor Ben, and a cute doggie named Buster.


End file.
